TRAVELLINGSby Jean-Paul Masse De Rouch

1.DRAMATIC: 2 million inhabitants now. Only 500,000 some 50

years ago in the same space. Buildings badly main-tained or even worse with the exception of the

Historic Centre (MAGNIFICENT) with its cathedral and main thoroughfare, but in the adjoining streets there is NEGLECT. Here there’s a CUTE boutique

inside a container. RATING 6/10

Picture by Cici Olsson A beach in Sicily 1st January 2014

LA HAVANE. Havana, TROPICAL, MULTI-COLOURED, TRAGICA mythical city delivered up to socialism WITH NO CONCESSIONS and run by a MUSCLED dictatorship. Do the rum, cigars, the old Americans (I’m talking about the cars!) make the Cubans smile? 2.ROMANTIC: a treat for the tourists: the old American cars. This one belonged in the 1950’s to the grand-father of the present owner, a computer analyst who is UNEMPLOYED and who now drives a taxi. «There are no jobs and the only people who have any money to spend are diplomats» he says. RATING 5/10

3.TROPICALITY: LUXURIANT : nature invades the town and re-designs the buildings in ruins. Mixed with the LIGHT it gives the town and its old colonial buil-dings an unforgettable charm. RATING 9/10. .

4.LIVELY: like these children the population fights against the disappoint-

ments and sadness of daily life. SMILES. MUSIC but not really everywhere. Respectable, well dressed despite their financial diffi-culties and scarcities, WELL PRESENTED and clean the inhabitants

only have only one wish: TO LEAVE! NOTE 5/10

5.MENDICITY: This man comes in to the town center every day from the country

to sell these two cakes. HOME MADE by his family he sells them for 2 euros. That’s when he manages to sell. Then there is always

COLOUR and that gives HOPE. RATING 3/10.

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TRAVELLINGSby Jean-Paul Masse De Rouch

Texts et pictures - JPMDR

LA HAVANE WHAT TO DO IN HAVANA

1.SLEEPING: for two or three days in the centre of town: Hotel SARATOGA. Swimming pool on the roof. THE MOST EXPENSIVE 5/10 or LE FLORIDA colonial style ambience ATMOSPHERE. Rather good breakfast 6/10. For a longer stay LE NACIONAL. ICONIC! Huge? Could be fantastic but oops! it needs serious money spent on renovation. Swimming pool, garden, service oops again! Efficient concierge VIEW!!!! Rating 8/10, veranda and swimming pool.

2.ALTERNATIVES: For longer periods or in any case to have more PEACE, stay

in a private house, www.casaparticolar.com. As the name suggests you have a room in someone’s house where you

can bring people back to. Don’t forget that in the hotels YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO! Not so SAFE. RATING 3 to 7/10.

Depends on your luck!

3.EATING : Privately owned restaurants are a new feature! The VOGUE concept is an apartment transformed to a restaurant. Café LAURENS Apartment. 1950’s feel to it. Nice view Bouffe so-so 5/10 LA GUARDIA the most sought after (Sean Penn, Spielberg, Naomi) and most Typical and TRA-DITIONAL. Good. Old Cuban atmosphere in a building needing repair. RATING 8/10. Dona Eutimia Nice, Not expensive. GOOD. Ask to sit out-side and taste the Ropa Vieja 9/10 I’m crazy! Lobsters? Paladar Vistamar (also an apartment next to the sea, that one) 6/10.

4.SHOPPING: Oh dear! Your only chance to overspend is on cigars

”Real Fabrica de Tabacos Partagas”.Buy some COHI-BA and choose los esplendidos. The one’s Fidel Castro smokes. Still need retail therapy? You have “La Maison” a “concept store” but don’t expect Colette’s. Then you

have La Moderna Poesia (books) Farmacia Taquechi (for the look). Or an ICECREAM at Coppelia! General

Mark 2.5/10. La Moderna Poesia 5/10

5.DRINKS: Mojitos Everywhere but especially Edificio Bacardi and

in the old town (Sloppy Joe Bar) Terraces and Music. Daiquiri at La Floridita (Hemingway’s favourite place

and more recently Veronique Branquinho’s) .Mark 8/10. Going out .. wait for my GAY section or go to Le

Madrigal ………..

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Texte et photos - JPMDR

1.FASCINATING, DIFFERENT. Havana : fabulous climate 25/35. Amazing vegetation. BEAUTIFUL HOUSES IN RUINS. On the streets super-cute Coco taxis and superb cars from the fifties. Dictatorship rules, people don’t smile much and the best salaries go to the police and the rubbish collectors

LA HAVANE. AS SEEN BY ELVIS POMPILIO, FASHION DESIGNER

2.BEAUTIFUL BEACHES : white sand, water of Caribbean colour. GAY BEACH : Handsome black GUYS or, more often, of mixed-race. The beach is permanently watched over by the

police who control the Cubans most of whom are there to sell sex to the TOURISTS who are usually FAT and OLD. Discreet prostitution in the dunes for 5, 10 or 15 euros for a short time. Salaries in local money are around 300

non-convertible pesos everywhere, around 25 dollars

3.THE NATIONAL HOTEL : Beautiful old hotel ! Today tourism is EXTRA CHEAP. Black cleaning lady, slow

and very annoying. Cleaning not even good. Place needs a complete renovation and better service. American, russian, norwegian tourists, NAFF people smoking

big cigars (cigars that are very expensive !)

4.NOTHING REALLY WORTH BUYING : no craftwork, no bookshops, no boutiques, no antique shops ! AWFUL FOOD.

Nothing at all ! No internet for people ! The guys have horrible haircuts that not even a professional footballer would have! Old town restored by UNESCO.

See above all the main street (verandas, cafes, Always the same music. Rum. Artificiial smiles). But the streets nearby with magnificent houses often in ruin

are given over to begging and prostitution.

5. POVERTY : The people seem sad. They smile to get something from you. To have some money. Guys try to hustle you in to resturants but they don’t insist if you say you already have a reservation. They try to talk some Italian (similar language) or some english badly but these languages don’t seem to be included in the good, free educa-tion system. The US embargo makes learning english expensive !

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Beautiful HOUSES in RUIN temperature 25/35C.

Food awful. PROSTITUTION

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LA HAVANE GAY PROSTITUTION. LIBERTY CONTROL

1.PROSTITUTION: is regarded as a way of complementing your salary or some other activity. It is practised on a major scale and often guys involved are not gay themselves but will go with gays for money. There is no general criticism of that as it is in many cases an absolute necessity. I was picked up by a VERY HANDSOME, ATHLETIC BLACK whose wife wanted him to go with me as that would have meant they had a European friend. Possible contact in France or elsewhere and a possible escape. Hard to get away!!!

2.GAY BAR LE HUMBOLDT (near to the Malecon) Hustlers of course ! Some

Karaoke. Good atmosphère (especially if you pay for drinks) WELL BEHAVED ! But NOTHING is FREE. of course there are services you expect to pay for and others you don’t that end up

costing even more.23

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3.CONTROLSThe gays now have a bar and a discothèque LAS VEGAS and even though the POLICE are always at front of the club there is a life that is not totally prohibited. TOLERANCE Everyone hangs around outside for a long time before going home. It’s FUN. Tourist pay 3 euros to go in for them and the hustlers and any Cuban friends and Inside it’s like everywhere else rather KITSCH and Karaoke. Cruising for MONEY. But overall COOL No violence.

4.BEACHMICAYITO BEACH is the openly gay beach although monitored by the police. You can fuck in the dunes for a little money and pick up on the beach. If you are on your own you won’t be for long even if sometimes you want to be alone. It’s a question of money so don’t think they are there for your blue eyes.

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5.PRACTICAL MATTERS You can’t take people back to your hotel unless it is a small hotel and you can suborn the

porter. So normally you will have rented a room from some private person (casa particolar) or you will go somewhere that your pick-up knows and you will pay for the room (about 30

euros usually). The other charge is also 30 euros but can be less or more. Up to 100 euros but always negotiable.

TO SEE« 7 days in Havana » Film in several parts by made by Benicio del Toro, Pablo Trapero, Julio

Medem, Elia Suleiman, Gaspar Noé, Juan Carlos Tabio, Laurent Cantet. Daily life seen through several plots and common difficulties. Rating S&P AA+

TO READ «La Balada de los suicidas» de Ariel B. Acosta: a tribute to the survivors of the

generation (those that survived the 90’s when the USSR stopped aiding Cuba). They had to invent emotional refuges. They had to risk their lives and overcome one of the most shameful

periods on the Island. They had to sell their dignity to feed themselves.5Text et picturesq - JPMDR

1.HAVANA DIFFERENT : One thing that makes Havana different, maybe even unique, is the fact that it has remained outside the whole globalisation process. In fact, everywhere in the world’s cities you now find the same fashion, art, food places etc.. There nothing of that! No Coca Cola, no Jeff Koons, no Prada not even a Marilyn poster by Warhol! Instead there is Castro PROPAGAN-DA everywhere you look.

2.TIME HAS STOPPED : As clear evidence of this are the old american cars constantly

resprayed and also the old houses in the hispanic baroque style, most of the time dilapidated and on which the cubans paint layer after layer of bright colours just like an old lady

might do who repeatedly puts on new makeup without first taking off the stuff already there.

3.ROMANTIC : the seaside promenade ( Le Malecon) when I was there was regularly pounded by enormous angry waves from the Atlantic and there is a nostalgia hanging over the town that blends in pleasantly with the tropical climate.

4. SMOKE: Certainly I drank some rum in the wake of Hemingway but I didn’t smoke any cigars because too many tourists who don’t know how

to smoke try it and I find that ridiculous.

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5.CHARM, COLOUR AND BEAUTY : I found the Cubans rather dignified. Everyone seems to be very poor but everyone faces up to this predicament which looks rather absurd when seen against the signs of past properity and happiness that the town still shows. I was only there for a few days but the city left me with an unforgettable impression of charm, colour and beauty.

I really hope that one day freedom prevails in the city putting a smile back on the faces of its inhabitants while at the same time preserving its authenticity.

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BY VÉRONIQUE BRANQUINHO

© Serge Leblon

TRAVELLINGSby Jean-Paul Masse De Rouch

1. NY ROUND THE CLOCK: NY is NOCTURNAL. More BEAUTIFUL at night. MIDTOWN.

TIMES SQUARE. Multicoloured, SPARKLING. Lively. THE CROWD is crazy. At Christmas don’t miss a show at the

RADIOCITY MUSIC HALL RATING 8/10

Picture by Cici Olsson A beach in Sicily 1st January 2014

NEW YORK UNIQUE BRASH NOISY

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TRAVELLINGSby Jean-Paul Masse De Rouch

Text et photos - JPMDR

2. NY IS DIVERSE AND DIRTY :

DOWNTOWN Make your way through West Village : Atmos-phere POST BOBO/ Bleecker Street (Marc Jacob, John Pizza,

Risotteria: Pizza again but no gluten this time) Overall rating 6/10 and East Village : Pay a tribute to SANAA’S on Bowery : brand

New Museum in a downbeat arty district and mixed up with tramps from Porto Rico or Eastern Europe. Rating 5/10. Avoid

Little Italy and Chinatown. Note2/10. VINTAGE stuff on St. Marks Place and between 9th and 1st and 2nd Avenue. Note 3/10.

VINTAGE sur St Marks Place et la 9th entre 1st et 2nd Avenue. Note 3/10.

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3. COOL ATTITUDEMeatpacking District and High Line (disused railway turned in to a Hanging Gar-den). Lots of people but you can find solitude. Good Looking Reader Note7/10 Art Galleries on 23rd and 24th (Gagosian 522W). Jeffrey Concept Store (449W 14th) (good selection of menswear) Bigelow Pharmacy on 6th A MUST.

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4. SOHO AND NOISE: Librairies: Mac Nally (Spring street) (Coffee and MAG) Housing Works (Crosby Street) (En vente Marie Chantal by JPMDR). Sur Broadway Top Shop (NUL) Prada (Craquant) Crate & Barrel (Déco chic) Note 8/10 Balenciaga Déprimant.

5. MULTIETHNIC: If only for its restaurants: Jap Ushiwakamaru. Italo Il Bucco on Bond Street or Rubirosa on Mulberry. « Kelley and Ping » Big cantine Thaï. « The Smile to go » or West Ville TOP vegetables and salads but MULTIETHNIC too for its street festivals like this one near Gramercy Park. Note 9/10.

6. GREEN: Like UPTOWN: See in addition to Central Park, the Metropoli-tan Museum. MOMA and Guggenheim, the Frick Collection. The Millionaire from Pittsburgh built his collection after WWI by buying masterpieces cheaply from Europeans who were broke (that’s where the word « fric » (french slang for money) comes from). Note 7/10.

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PRADA

1. SLEEPING: A thousand hotels and different prices. Maybe try the SOFITEL (Penthouse N°2806 at 800 $ for the night of the 21st July) for action and for its loca-tion. View to the Chrysler and Empire State Building. Central but far from the noise. Otherwise Hotel AMERICANO: multicultural crowd, bicycles available and a swimming pool on the roof (216$ Room King size for the 21st July). NOTE 7/10

2. EATING: A thousand adresses. IROHA and Saké Bar Hagi 152W and 44th JAP Note 6/10. « Le Colonial » Lexington et 57th Viet

Indochinese Atmosphere 8/10. Waverly Inn (Bank Street) Chic (Valentino next to Me) Beau Waiter (I got a free drink) 7/10. Sushi Zen 8/10. In the restaurants you often eat dinner in complete darkness and American ladies don’t speak , they

shout. The men too! Note 0/10

3. DEPARTMENT STORES: Saks really boringbut try cream de la MER Good for the Skin. Bendel Colorfull and Commercial. Bergdorf is best. Coffee Shop Global Note 3/10 Too Old.

4. Whitening: Make an appointment with Dr. Brown (44th and Fifth) for a perfect teeth whitening with almost no pain. I wouldn’t say with no stress

or anxiety. Ask for Clara to be the assistant. (700$) Note 10/10.

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Text et photos - JPMDR

5. SPECTACLE: I saw “Dream in a Red Chamber” from Mr Finlay. It’s a show for a public lying down. You are placed on beds and you can snooze while the actors move about between the stages (3 of them). The play lasts the whole night. You leave when you want but if you do you lose your place. TOP. SURPRISING. ROMANTIC drama based on an 18th century Chinese work: a story of love between a stone and a flower. Note 10/10

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TO DO

6. SHOPPING & FLEA MARKET :

Best Found in SOHO : Fred Perry, St Laurent, Des ONE DAY pop Store (designer Marlon Gobel), ADDIDAS (the Stan

Smith). Note 8/10Fleas! On Saturday morning go straight to 39th between 9th

and 10th Avenues. Then to the Antique Garages in Chelsea 112W Nothing too special but you ALWAYS end up buying

something Note 3/10 if not try Fort Green in Brooklyn.

7. BEACH :Tired of Manhattan? Take the Underground at Central Station

and discover Coney Island: its beaches, attractions and its Russians. Rating 5/10. Return via Brooklyn/

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1. CULTURE: Museums! Spend an afternoon strolling through ‘Cloister »: a garden and collection of medieval art. Go to « PSI » a former school in Brooklyn now renovated to a Museum of Contemporary Art, for a Saturday summer afternoon. AMBIANCE DJ and “Dance Party”. Take the train to Dia Beacon, former airport converted to a Museum of Contemporary Art. Note 8/10

(Austrian Culture Center by Raimund Abraham)

NEW YORK BY THE STYLIST LAETITIA PON-THIEUX (LACROIX, GAULTIER, PROENZA SCHOULER) AFTER 3 YEARS THERE

2. LIVRES: Rizzoli Book Store huge selection of books on art, architecture, fashion,

design, gardening .. . Dashwood books, The best bookshop specializing on photography, Stand Book Store Mc Nally Book store. Note 7/10

3. MODE…. Et surtout VINTAGE: After having skimmed Barneys, Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler you should

visit the boutiques where the choice is more specialized: Maryam Nassir Zadeh or Assembly New York, in the Lower East Side. More interesting for Fashionistas is the VINTAGE. Manhattan: Resurrection, New York Vintage,

What goes around comes around, Screaming Mimi’s, Cheap Jack, Armacord…. Narnia (with its two shops with one in Williamsburg). Brooklyn : Malin

Landeus, Single by Stella Dallas, Narnia et Mafalda. FASHION .. Especially VINTAGE Note 8/10

4. CAFÉS JUICE BAR / RESTAURANTS :

Manhattan : La Colombe, one of the best cafés in town.Brooklyn : Café Peddlar, Smith Canteen, two places well away from the agita-

tion of Manhattan. For « juices » go to Miss Lilly’s in Soho. TOP juice.

5. RESTAURANTS : Very good choice of GOOD. Japanese, italians, fusion food, or-ganic…. Et Super « healthy » of course. Lunch or diner at Saint Ambroeus, West Village, (terrace !). Lovely day, Kelley. West Village, Josef Leonard or Jeffrey on the pavement opposite.Brunch Freemans, ABSOLUMENT. Brooklyn: Five Leaves à Green Point… tattoed clientele! Ricotta to die. Marlowe and Sons Very Williamsburg, (go there on foot by passing Under the Brooklyn bridge at night). Romans and No. 7 at Fort Green.

6 GIFTS ET CUTE THINGS.De Vera, on Crosby Street, Cabinet de CURIOSITES: WYETH, on Spring and Greenwich, design 50 et 60. John Derian, at Bond Street. Kiosk, on Prince street (on first floor). Crafted objects from all countries, Japan, Portugal. Original and charming.

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New York is a catastrophy but

a magnificent catastrophy Le Corbusier

Pics - JPMDR

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7. SOIREE « NEW YORKER »:Cinémas : Angelika, on Houston, IFC at 6th Avenue, Film Forum on Varick, perfect selection of films/movies and one of the oldest cinemas in NY.A Brooklyn, Nitehawk. Drinks and dinner in the cinema. Menu adapted to the film showing. UNBELIEVABLE that the idea has not crossed the Atlantic! Films to seeShadows – CassavetesGhost Dog – Jim JarmushTaxi Driver – Martin ScorceseThe 25TH Hour – Spike LeeAmerican Psycho – Marry harronShame – Steve Mc QueenMean Streets – Martin ScorceseKids – Larry Clark Photos

Text Laetitia Ponthieux Pics JPMDR and archives

1. WELL ! THERE IS ALWAYS CHRISTOPHER STREET: SLEAZY bars but nice enough. Cruising mainly from Latinos of different types and sexiness. Smiling black guys, variable too, and also the High Line with more sophisticated types but not too many of them. Ah Candles at Venustas (Christopher S). Note 6/10.

2. CHELSEA GAY AREA: Librairie Printed Matters 195 Tenth Av Note 8/10 (Marie Chantal by JPMDR is on sale here). Nice RESTOS for Atmosphere but the food nothing to go mad abaout!: Lasagna, Tello, The Dish, East of Eight. All that on 8th Av. Note 5/10. Mixed Crowd . Bookshop…… (Marie Chantal by JPMDR is on sale there).

3. GOOD LOOKING BOYS: CAFÉ SATURDAYS ON WEST AND BARBIER SEXY (AT HORATIO AND 4TH)

4. WEEK END: Banks of the Hudson. The Piers : a jetty crowded with guys. Soft cruising. Nice light. Attitude.

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Graphisme Jean Pol Lejeune

5. JOCK STRAP

Eagles NYC night 350W in the 28th (in the old Crobar). VERY BUSY. 80% of the guys with their arses in the air Note 6,5/10 Latinos cruising. Lots of talking. Some beauties getting sucked off. Note 9/10.

6. FILMS TO SEE OR SEE AGAINCRUISING from William Friedkin (Al Pacino) Looking for Mr GOODBAR (Diane Keaton) Macadam Cow Boy (John Voight) Slaves of New York

(James Ivory with Bernadette Peters)

Text and pics JPMDR et archives

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QUIZZ:NY is

1. a city of culture2. a city of money

3. a city of pleasure4. a city of work

5. other ?

Answer : NY is as Venice was in the past a city of both

culture and commerce

NY is

1. Noisy2. Dirty

3. Full of energy and dirty4. Noisy but making progress

5. Other ?

Answer : NY is full of energy because it is built on granite.

NY is

1. in the avantgarde2. Between Europe and Texas

3. Conservative4. Outshone by the West

5. Other

Answer : NY is a truly cosmopolitan city between

Europe and California

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AS SEEN BY DIANE VON FÜRSTENBERGFASHION DESIGNER , FAMOUS AMONG OTHER THINGS FOR HER WRAP DRESS COLLECTION.

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TRAVELLINGSQuizz by Jean-Paul Masse De Rouch

I would like to continue to be me but better. DVF

If you compare the NY Fashion Week with that of Paris, London Milan the NY one is

1. The most commercial2. The sharpest3. The most professional4. The most pragmatic5. The most stylish6. Other

Answer N°4

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What do you most like to do in NY

1. Work2 . Read3. Find a new lover4. Write5. Go to the manicurist6. Receive friends7 . Leave NY8. Come back to NY9. Dance10. Go to the theatre11. Other

Réponse :N°1, N°4+ find a new artist

Your collections are well known throughout the world. What new venture do you still want to do ?

1. A chain of hotels2. Write a book on philosophy or on 3. spend time with your family and your friends4. take part in charitable work5. Grow old gracefully6. Other ?

Réponse : I would like to continue to be me but better.

Text et Images of New York © Jean-Paul Masse De Rouch

Photo 1 Austrian Embassy / Photo 2 Soho Lounge / Photo 3 Energy Photo 4 Meatpacking District / Photo 5 Ladies story / Photo 6 Fashion shooting Photo

7 Street Art / Photo 8 Ladies story / Photo 9 Vintage shop

TRAVELLINGSby Jean-Paul Masse De Rouch

1.BEAUTIFUL : The old town, the Kasbah, is a JEWEL. Encircled by

ramparts, cool and mysterious, sometimes open to the sea through an ancient gateway that brings

you right in front of the sea, just as if you had Spain at the tips of your fingers, sometimes turned in on itself running dispersing in to endless little streets,

it invites you to dream, to be melancholy and at the same time to be transported Mark 8/10.

TANGIER BEAUTIFUL, ROMANTIC, CAPTIVATING, MUSLIM

2.ROMANTIC : Morning: get up early and discover the town

enshrouded in mist, experience the pleasure of eating a date while your gaze goes from the sea

to the land and back to the sea. Your eyes will dwell on the shadow of a minaret, the outline of

a cupola, the lacework of a palace. Mark 10/10

3.ENCHANTING : it’s in the stairways of the town that you will discover the spirit of the KASBAH, both night and day, the kindness of the inhabitants, life almost as it is lived in the country where everyone says hello, then, all of a sudden, the Bazar, a square, le Petit SOCCO, the cafés, the souk, the activity, a mint tea, a «special» cigarette, and a cologne from Madani’s presented in bottles out of A Thousand and One Nights. Mark 8/10

4.MUSLIM : Life seems to have stopped a century ago but the unchanged way of life never

seems to need to change so much does it suit the inhabitants of,the Kasbah. Both men and women seem happy with their lot. Children laugh. Fruit and vegetables are plentiful. The Muezzin sings his prayers. Life seems perfect. Take the time to

stop at the DARNA Association for single women, widows or divorcees who have taken their destiny in to their own hands through social work and who manage a

restaurant and a fashion shop.

5.TUMULTUOUS : And then you leave the Kasbah and discover the Grand SOCCO, it’s animation, the passage to a more modern life, cinemas, RIF, terraces as you approach the old French quarter. You take a seat at the Café de France to watch the street life. Of course it is made up mainly of men. The women have their life elsewhere, But why not?.

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TRAVELLINGSby Jean-Paul Masse De Rouch

Texte et photos - JPMDR

TANGIERPRATIQUE

1.WHERE TO SLEEP : Some wonderful addresses The DAR NOUR of course with its bedrooms like mini suites that leave you not wanting to go out. The Nordic Pinus with its luxurious bedrooms and magnificent views but also the Continental where part of the film «Tea in the Sahara» was shot (but quite rustic even so) and why not try the Maison de l’Éléphant Blanc that backs on to the cliff behind the Casbah (a whole house with swimming pool, view and hammam that can be rented with friends).

2.TO DISCOVER : Take the Rue de La Liberté (possible gay pick-up area) and go in pursuit of Tangiers in the 50’s: The Café Berlin, the Italian Consu-late with its famous pizzas , the Ocean Restaurant and it’s French cuisine. Go to the Hammam to shake down, go to the little Bazar (Tindouf) for antiques and to the Flower Market.

3.TO ADMIRE : The ocean starting at the famous Café HAFA where the young people of Tangiers come with their boy or girlfriends or in a group to watch the sea and the setting sun.

Texte et photos - JPMDR

hôtel Continental

4.TOHU BOHU : All the Moroccans living in Europe, or almost all, pass through Tangiers.

The promenade along the sea is lined with 50’s buildings. The police go by on horseback. You will find the Hotel Movenpick and the Mirage

Hotel at Cap Spartel (lovely view). But nothing of great interest.

TO EAT : in the tearooms: Italian Patisserie. Lunch at Popeye’s: Single-choice

delicious menu of fish, fig juice with magical qualities.

immeuble 50

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6.SHOPPING :Plenty shopping to amuse: Perfumier Madani on Avenue Pasteur and just next door Sadri chocolates, some pretty things at La Tribu des Ziri (Petit Socco)., very beautiful tiles, Las Chicas Concept Store near the upper entrance to the Kasbah, Jasmine water (can be bought anywhere but best from a market) and finally buy some tablecloths at the Tisserands market or some unusual beauty products.

7.GOING OUT :It is Stéphanie from the INSOLITES bookshop, the unmissable cultural spot of Tangiers: books, concerts, photos, tearoom who recommends The Morocco Club of Vincent Coppée for its «lounge» side, it’s different atmosphere and its slightly more formal restaurant. She laments «a certain falling away of Tangiers nightlife. People invite each other to their homes but the interesting nightspots have disappeared. Prostitution is everywhere and there are no longer any glamorous places. Tangiers is a village with a million and a half people. It’s not somewhere to come to party.» «If you are in Tangiers for a few days a Moroccan themed evening could be interesting.

Morocco Club

AS SEEN BY GILLES COLLARDDIRECTOR OF LA REVUE LITTÉRAIRE PYLONE AND WRITER

Go to Tangiers to forget a past love or do not go in

case you spoil a present one.

1.WHERE TO GO : Analysis of the journey, which towns to visit amongst the others. Explore your city first before deciding where to stay or the other way around, go to such and such a town because the place WHERE you want to sleep is there . Go to Tangiers for example just because of DAR NOUR in the heart of the Kasbah, where we really desire to stay.

2.LEGENDS :Towns saturated with words and texts are more readily misunderstood. The smartest want to go to Tangiers after reading Paul Bowles, learning of the mishaps of Burroughts and his naked Destin, discovering the diary of John Hopkins, dreaming of the motorbike of Joe McPhillips or even the grave of Jean Genet, while the film Only lovers Left Alive by Jim Jarmusch gives a good summary. But they shouldn’t forget that both books and films need verification. Is it even worthwhile to keep them going by traveling to the place they were enacted? Big mistake.PS. Don’t forget however to read Rue des Voleurs by Mathias Enard

3.LOVE :Go to Tangiers to forget a past love or do not go in case you spoil a present one.

4.BOOKS :Look for them at Stephanie Gaou’s at the bookshop Les Insolites or at at

Simon-Pierre Hamelin’s at the Colonnes Bookshop, a legendary place saved recently by the intervention of Pierre Bergé.

5.APERITIF :Definitely the most difficult decision time of the day. Two easy solutions for THOSE* who cannot drink coffee or tea after3 in the afternoon.: stay at the Dar Nour for an afternoon of writing on the rooftop terrace and be served with an icecold beer or walk as far as the bar of the mythic hotel Minzah where the Carlsberg is the same as anywhere else. The show is in the main room where you can usually see rich, siliconeD* heiresses on incognito adventures, amongst haggard tourists alongside suited businessmen interlopers. If it is vulgar to want to go to a town to check on the contents of a book, to go to the Minzah for the aperitif is to take the risk of finding the sublime peak of this vulgarity.

6.SEX : See the section of LOVE. OR No sex last night. PS certain acquaintances tell us that this is not inevitable/fatal especially after having stayed at Dar Nour.

7.SEA : If there is a horizon as well as a port then there is no sea. The

Sea is death, corpses. Besides if by lack of attention you everapproach it in this way you will find that out.

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Photos - JPMDR

AS SEEN BY CARINE CAILLIERET AGENCE IMM ET PHILIPPE BOUSBIB PHOTOGRAPHE

Go to CHEFCHAQUEN. Little village typically Berber. Very green. Like the

Landes and hashish everywhere.

1.TANGIER : The old 50’s CASINO. Part of legendary Tangiers. You can eat there. Hotel MINZAH Rubbish (massage no good)

2.TO VISIT :but not far away go to ASILAH. A pearl by the seaside. Old Carthaginian port, spotting of pirates, small fortified. village. Small paved Medina.

3.CALM :Little restaurants, many houses for rent, little paradise. Very flat beaches. Little huts on the beach, delicious Tajines. You eat with well washed hands beforehand and you are never unwell.

4.APRIL :Orange trees are in blossom and you can drink mint tea with orange tree flowers.4

5.EVERY YEAR : Artists come to paint the walls of the town

6.FURTHER AWAY :Visit Sidi M’Brahi in a 4x4. In the dunes, alone with the sea just for you.

7.COVER YOURSELF :with clay. For the skin Excellent.

8.A TASTE OF SCOTLAND :Go to CHEFCHAQUEN. Little village typically Berber. Very green. Like the Landes and hashish everywhere.

9.EVEN FURTHER IFFRANE :ski resort. Wild monkeys and in Spring fields of Verveine and Camomile flowers.

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